Glass Prison
by PurpleLilyBlossom
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha is the one Orochimaru wants...that is until Naruto Uzumaki succeeds in dragging the Uchiha back to the village. While many Changes take place in Konoha...Orochimaru plans the perfect revenge on the one who stole his vessel.
1. Chapter 1

"Great, just great…"

Naruto grumbled. Gritting his teeth as he shifted the unconscious body slumped on his back. He was nearing the village, thank god.

Just a few more miles…

"Stubborn son of a bitch…" he muttered angrily, glaring behind him.

Sasuke was one pain in the ass. After 3 years of searching for the Uchiha with many failed attempts and 2 more years of tracking the man all over. Naruto was finally able to catch up to him again.

Only Naruto found that convincing Sasuke to return to the village was an even more difficult task than ever.

The stubborn Uchiha prodigy put up one hell of a fight.

It took all of Naruto's strength plus the fox demons chakra to finally take the Sharingan user out without killing him in the process.

To make matters worse, Orochimaru saw the entire fight and now he had the snake bastard after him as well. He could feel the bastards unmistakable chakra signature only a few miles away.

If he had known how much trouble it would cause he wouldn't have even gone through with any of this, but he swore to Sakura that he would bring Sasuke back to her.

…Sakura…

Blue eyes narrowed…his glare deepening as he realized what was going to happen now that Sasuke was back. Things would go back to exactly the way they were before.

Sakura chasing after the cold ignorant bastard, worshipping the ground he walked on while he hurled insults at her and made her cry.

Completely ignoring the one who has been in love with her for so long, even though the revelation didn't hit him fully until he returned from his training with Jiraiya nearly 5 years ago. He has been one hundred percent head over heels in love with her since the second he laid eyes on her when he was 6 years old.

This emotion has made him do some extremely stupid things.

Like risk getting beaten to a pulp by the pink haired beauty just to be close to her. Jump head first into life threatening situations without thinking just to protect her. Of course when it came to her he always found himself doing the most out of character things. As if he wasn't in control of his own body or mind. She consumed his thoughts, controlled his actions.

He's been close to death so many times for her and now he has risked his life again to bring Sasuke back to her.

Naruto bit back a growl of pure frustration.

Frustration for loving her so damn much, for being so weak when it came to her.

Funny that he could take on a whole league of nin and then some without a bit of hesitation or fear, but when it comes to a certain 5'5, 101 pound pink haired, green eyed medic nin…he couldn't even raise a fist.

He always crumbled when he was around her. Just pudding in her hands. He couldn't think, he couldn't even function, but being away from her was much worse. He found this out the hard way…

When he had been training with the toad sanin he could remember getting scolded many times in the beginning for lack of concentration…because he would be thinking about her, worrying about her, missing her…missing her so much at times that it almost hurt…scalded.

He never told Jiraiya, the old pervert never suspected a thing.

* * *

The village gates were within site and Naruto had a selfish urge to leave Sasuke where that snake bastard could find him. But he couldn't, if he had to see that heart wrenching look on Sakura's face one more time. He wouldn't be able to handle it. When she cried…he wanted to cut out his own heart.

It would be less painful then having to watch her look so upset, so heartbroken. If Sasuke made her happy…if "he" made her smile, then Naruto would give "him" to her. Even if it slowly kills him inside. At least she'd be happy. He'd do anything for her.

Some leaf Anubi must have seen him coming because as he approached the gates he was greeted by the Hokage herself.

"Naruto, are you alright?"

He looked into her liquid brown eyes and tried to muster a smile, shifting Sasuke on his back with a grunt.

"Of course, why…"

In a flash the older woman crushed him in a bear hug.

"Where the hell have you been, we haven't seen or heard from you in two years you brat!!"

Tsunade cried out, nearly squeezing him to death. So happy to see him that she hadn't even noticed the body hanging over his back.

"Umm…grandma Tsunade…I kinda need to breath here…" Naruto chuckled.

She laughed, tears rolling down her face "sorry."

Slowly she pulled away, whipping at her teary eyes.

It was only then that she noticed the motionless body sprawled out on his back.

"Who is this Naruto?"

The smile he had forced disappeared instantly. The pain, knowing that she was going to completely ignore him after today, like he was invisible…

…It hurt so much…

Tsunade saw his smile fade, watched as his features hardened, his dark blue eyes full of so much pain. It scared her, making her wonder what had happened to him. This wasn't the boy who left two years earlier.

"Don't you recognize him?

Naruto questioned, his voice uncharacteristically rough.

When Tsunade simply stared he slid the body off his back and onto the ground.

"It's Sasuke,"

Tsunade gasped, completely stunned as she took in the bodies appearance.

"How…how did you…" she couldn't even get out the question she was so stunned.

"It took me forever to find him, he put up one hell of a fight the stubborn jerk, finally I got close enough to take him down without killing him."

Tsunade knelt beside the Uchiha, checking his vitals while two medic nin prepared a stretcher. They lifted him onto the bed and rushed him inside the gate.

Tsunade turned her eyes back on the boy who she thought of like a son.

The boy was no longer a boy at all, he had diffidently changed. He now stood even taller than he had before he left. Her head coming to just below his broad shoulders.

His blond hair fell down to just above his shoulders. She was stunned by just how much he'd changed in two years. The blue eyes that had once sparkled with innocence were hard and spoke volumes of the many hardships he had seen.

This pained her and she felt a part of her cry out. The paternal part of her wishing she could have shielded him from the world.

She looped an arm around his, dragging the 19 year old forward.

"Come on, we can talk more in my office."

* * *

Naruto stood uneasily in the hokages office. Blue eyes wandering over the familiar pictures and old maps that covered the paint chipped walls, the mountain of papers and old books that littered the desk and shelves. Tsunade had tons of questions about his two year absence and he tried to answer them as best he could without giving away how anxious he was.

…Sakura…

He missed her so damned much, he hadn't even realized just how much until he passed the gates.

The second he walked into the village the feeling slammed into him so violently that it took every ounce of strength in him to keep from running around the village like a man possessed looking for her.

"Naruto, next time you decide to skip an assigned mission to go off on your own I will come after you myself."

Tsunade mock threatened, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"You did a good job Naruto."

The teenage boy grinned awkwardly, running a hand through his sun kissed hair.

"I told you guys id bring him back, it took a long time but I never go back on my word."

…Sakura…

She probably heard the news by now. She's more than likely at the hospital, waiting at "his" bedside.

Blue eyes squeezed shut, teeth clenched together.

…It hurt so much…

"Naruto!"

The door behind him swung open hard, smacking against the wall of the office with a deafening whack. His eyes snapped open at the sound of that voice.

…Sakura…

No, it couldn't be her…she's at the hospital.

He sucked in a deep breath and turned just as something warm and soft collided into him.

His eyes flickered down; saw a head full of pink hair, her scent assaulting his nose.

…Sakura…

"Nar…Naruto…" she sobbed, his arms automatically wrapped around her small frame trembling against him, unable to suppress the groan that rumbled deep in his throat.

…It felt so good to hold her again…

He squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in her silky pink locks, her scent surrounding him…overwhelming his senses. That intoxicating aroma that always left him aching for more.

…god he loved her…

"You're…your back…you're alright…" she sobbed, clutching onto him tighter.

"Shh…" he whispered, his heart splitting in two as her tears soaked through his black shirt.

'_great you ass, you made her cry'_

Fresh pain filled his chest, his arms tightened around her.

"I'm sorry I worried you…"

Her sobs reached his ears and the pain intensified.

"Please…" he rasped, unable to take it anymore, "don't cry Sakura…I'll do anything…"

'_I can't stand it when you cry'_ he silently added.

"I finally got him Sakura, I brought him back home like I promised."

She rose her head and his heart shattered. Those gorgeous green eyes shimmered with tears, her face slightly flushed from crying…he realized she must have been crying before she barged into the office.

More tears slid down her face and he nearly buckled under the pain. He had to make her stop, it'll kill him…

"Sakura…" he croaked, raising shaky fingers to her soft skin, using his thumb to brush back the tears trailing down her face.

"You were…just gone…"

Sakura finally managed to choke out.

"Just…disappeared…without saying anything…and I thought…"

Her voice cracked, more tears streaming down her face.

Realization hit him like a blow to the stomach and he wanted to grab a kunai and stab himself over and over again.

She actually thought…she thought he…

Naruto pulled her roughly against his chest as more sobs racked her body.

"Never, do you hear me?"

He whispered, his voice strained…

He continued to hold her, nearly forgetting that he was standing in the middle of the hokages office…nothing else mattered except the women in his arms…nothing else existed. Her sobs slowly subsided yet he didn't release his hold on her. He didn't let go until she pulled away, untangling herself from him.

He reluctantly let her go, barely able to restrain himself from pulling her back in his arms when she hugged herself and slowly turned from him to the Hokage who had been quietly observing the scene in front of her.

She pulled a lock of slightly tousled pink hair behind her ear, sniffling, her vivid green eyes still puffy and red from crying. Looking so vulnerable and all he could think was that he had been the cause of her tears this time. She thought he had left her, had taken off like Sasuke and abandoned her.

The thought hadn't even crossed his mind the day he left. He had been so determined to keep his promise to her. So desperate to find Sasuke and bring him back to her. To stop her tears, to make her happy. That he left without even saying a word to her.

Naruto inwardly cursed himself for his stupidity, he could have at least said something to her that day before speeding off.

Then the pink haired beauty spoke the words that he had been dreading ever since he began dragging the Uchiha's ass back to the village.

"Lady Tsunade, I take it Sasuke's at the hospital?"

The older women nodded, "he has a couple broken ribs…nothing serious…"

Sakura lowered her head, taking several deep breaths before walking slowly towards the door.

She turned around and he found himself once again staring into vivid green eyes.

Her lips parted, as if she was going to say something…instead she turned and disappeared out the door.

He knew it was going to happen, the second he confronted Sasuke in Wave. He knew she would go running to "him"

…It still hurt like hell…

Tsunade watched the array of emotions flicker across his face. The most dominant one being pain. The same pain she saw earlier, she hadn't wanted to jump to any conclusions then but now she was almost certain. Certain that she recognized the look well, the love sick look that she herself has worn several times in her life. The tortured pain burning fiercely in his dark blue eyes. The pain that only came from unrequited love.

It made sense, the reason he took the Uchiha's betrayal so hard. The reason he always seemed to get this fierce look in his eyes when it came to her top pupil. How they softened when he looked upon the younger woman. Transforming from the tough guy who had stood up to her multiple times and proven his strength a hundred times over to a guy who could barely defend himself against the smaller woman's attacks.

Back when she had first met the blonde and caught her very first glimpse of this transformation she had been amused. Amused that even he had a soft spot, a weakness.

Now, as she watched him struggle to hold it together she felt another pang of sadness.

"Go home, get some rest…you look like your about to pass out on my floor."

She ordered, inwardly frowning when he barely reacted to her words.

"yeah, alright…" he answered after several long moments. His voice once again hard, devoid of emotion.

The 19yr old started to turn to the door when she once again pulled him down for a hug.

"It's good to have you home Naruto."

He just nodded slightly, a small puff of air escaping his lips as he stood and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto walked into his apartment and tossed his keys carelessly on the table. Wrinkling his nose in disgust as a putrid smell wafted up to his nose. It didn't take long for him to find the source of the stench…a bowl of ramen that he had barely touched the night before he left on his hunt for Sasuke.

Quickly he walked to the sink and washed out the bowl, then collapsed onto his bed.

His thoughts all centered around a certain pink haired beauty.

* * *

Sakura stood in front of room 106, brows furrowed in confusion.

Here she was, with only a door separating her from Sasuke. She should be excited, she should be smiling. Where were the butterflies that used to flutter in her stomach whenever she knew she was about to see him? Where was that knee shaking, palm sweaty feeling she used to get?

How come all she wanted to do was run back into Naruto's arms?

She did love Sasuke…right?

Sakura shook these thoughts from her mind and reached for the door handle. She was being silly, she has been waiting for this moment for 8 long years. It's nerves, nothing more…

Dragging in several deep breaths…she walked into the room.

It was dark, that was the first thing she registered. The only light that shone in the room was a small 15 watt bulb by the door. The shudders were closed and she could barely make out the hospital bed in the middle of the room.

As her eyes adjusted she gasped as she noticed the dark figure in the bed.

For what felt like an eternity she thought of nothing but this moment. Fantasized about what she was going to say, what he was going to look like.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she was seeing now.

Sasuke, he looked nothing like she remembered.

He was sitting up in the bed, his hands and feet shackled to the bed posts. His jet black hair fell wildly around his face, stopping just below his biceps. His skin was sickly pale, as if he hadn't been out in the sun for nearly the entire time he's been gone.

He carried many scars, including a deep one that started from the bottom of his left eye to the middle of his cheek. His bare muscular chest was littered with scars…some deeper than others that disappeared under the bandages around his rib cage.

Sakura parted her lips to speak but her voice died in throat when she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of onyx eyes.

His eyes had always been cold, nearly emotionless, but there was something different about them now…more sinister. They were darker, colder. The eyes of a man who has killed brutally without mercy…the eyes of a murder.

It chilled her to the bone.

"Sakura…Sakura Haruno…"

His voice was low, laced with a dark rage and she knew that if it weren't for the chains holding him in place…she would be dead. She had no doubt in her mind that he wouldn't think twice about taking her life.

The way he was looking at her, as if he was thinking of all the different ways that he would mutilate her body.

This wasn't her Sasuke at all…

"So, lady Tsunade tells me your injuries aren't that bad. You should be out of that bed in a week or two at the most."

When he did nothing but stare with those menacing dark eyes she walked over to the window and pulled the blinds open.

Fighting to keep herself in control as fear clawed at her insides. All she wanted to do was get out of this room and it was taking everything in her to keep from fleeing to the door.

More silence followed and she half wondered if he was going to just not speak all together.

Just when the silence was becoming to much for her she heard his voice once again.

"You've changed…"

She turned to face him, more fear coiling inside her as his lips curved into a twisted smirk.

"So have you…" she whispered.

* * *

It took some time, but Naruto had finally been able to drag himself off the bed and over to the shower. Hoping it would be a good distraction from his thoughts.

Laying around obsessing over the fact that she was at the hospital with "him" was sending him over the deep end…fast. Picturing all the different scenarios of how she would greet the Uchiha after so long.

…yeah…he had to stop thinking…

He couldn't let himself remember how good it felt to feel her in his arms. How silky and soft her hair was or how much he had missed that faint scent of strawberries and vanilla that was so uniquely her.

With a growl Naruto shut off the water and stepped out of the shower.

He pulled on a towel and stalked back over to the bed and collapsed on the mattress once again. Not even bothering to dry himself as his traitorous mind continued it's torture.

He had just started to fall asleep when a soft rapping at the door caught his attention.

Thinking it was just one of his friends coming to welcome him back he draped an arm lazily over his eyes, fully intending to ignore whoever it was.

When the knocking continued he sighed heavily and dragged himself once again to his feet. He walked sluggishly to the door and jerked hard on the door handle. Expecting to see Kiba or even shikamaru standing on the other side.

What he didn't expect to see was a pink haired, green eyed angel.

Sakura shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously. Unnerved by the way her heart rate increased as she stared at the man in front of her.

After leaving the hospital she had been so confused, afraid and distraught that when she reached her apartment she just continued walking.

When she realized where her feet had taken her it only added to her confusion, straight to Naruto's front door.

She had to admit, he came along way from the Naruto she had known when they were children.

He now towered over her, the top of her head only reaching the middle of his rock hard chest. His blonde hair had grown out and now hung loosely just a hairs away from his broad muscular shoulders.

Suddenly it hit her that he was standing in his door way with nothing but a white towel draped loosely over his abdomen. Giving her a nice view of the powerful muscles rippling under smooth tanned skin. Her eyes lowered, and she felt her face burn as they trailed down to the towel. Appalled when she caught herself almost glaring at it for blocking the rest of his body from her view.

"Sakura…"

She immediately snapped her eyes back up to his handsome face.

Even his eyes had changed…his gaze seemed more…intense. Right now they were full of worry as he continued to stare at her.

She felt hot tears threaten to fall as her mind unwillingly went back to a pair of dark menacing eyes.

"Sakura…are you alright?"

* * *

Stunned couldn't even begin to describe what he felt as he watched her stand on his door step. That surprise quickly morphed into concern when he noticed how her body trembled. How ashen her face was. She looked terrified, in shock.

His mind went into overdrive trying to think of what could scare her so bad and just when the answer came she launched herself into his arms. Temporarily distorting his thoughts as her scent once again attacked his senses.

Her body shook as she sobbed and he felt unbridled rage build inside him.

Sasuke, that son of a bitch. She saw him, and he hurt her…again.

"Shh…Sakura…"

He was going to kill him, break every bone in the Uchiha's body.

"What did he do," Naruto practically snarled as her sobs slowly died down. Holding her almost possessively against his chest.

"He…he didn't do anything…" she whispered after several minutes of silence.

"He's so different…he…he's…"

"Evil…" Naruto finished for her, gazing into her eyes when she pulled back just enough to look up at him surprised.

There wasn't any other way to say it. Ever since Sasuke deserted the village, something about him just wasn't right. Naruto knew it the first time he confronted the Uchiha when he was 12. Each time he confronted him after that Sasuke seemed to change more and more. His personality got darker, more sinister…until it was like he was a different person entirely. Almost all traces of the Sasuke he had known as a child gone.

"Do you think there's a chance…that he…" Sakura trailed off but Naruto knew what she was trying to say.

Will he ever be the same guy again, the Sasuke they knew before he left?

"I don't know, maybe it's not too late. Jiraiya told me that the more Sasuke uses his curse seal…the more it would change him. Until there was no trace of the man he once was…I don't know how many times Sasuke's used it and if it's even possible to fix the damage it's already caused."

He didn't want to tell her just how much that curse seal has affected Sasuke already. The winged creature that the Uchiha turns into if and when he uses it. It had been truly terrifying the first time he'd seen it himself.

Sakura seemed to digest his words and he felt a rush of tingles creep up and down his body as she untangled herself from him. Her hands ghosting over his flesh as she did so, successfully muddling his thoughts.

She walked around him and straight into his apartment. Her voice floated to his ears, scolding him for the poor condition his apartment was in.

As he struggled to clear his head, he half wondered if she even realized how much control she had over him.

* * *

Alright, here's chapter 2...

Look for updates every tuesday.


	3. Important Announcement

The update is being delayed because of several personal issues…but I promise I'll get the update up as quickly as possible.

With any luck. I'll get the 3rd chapter up tomorrow...

Sorry about the delay!!


	4. Chapter 4

_The next few weeks were so blissfully perfect, as if he hadn't been gone for two years…as if Sasuke wasn't back in the village but still missing. _

_When Sasuke deserted the village she was so lost, so broken…all he wanted to do was make her smile. Every second that he had to watch her so upset was like a kick in the gut. _

_He began hating Sasuke for hurting her so badly. For making her feel so useless, so unimportant. His respect for the Uchiha plummeted, any feelings of admiration or even thinking of the guy as a friend faded the more he had to see that look of pain in her eyes. _

_He had always been protective of her, but it had started to border on obsessive after Sasuke took off. He knew her so well, he knew the difference between a real smile and a fake one. The way her eyes flashed vividly when she was angry or when she was in the heat of the moment. _

_He also knew when she was trying to hide her pain, and it had been killing him to see it. He swore then to himself that he would get the Uchiha back for her…no matter what the cost…_

_When she started training under the hokage he conveniently made sure he was there nearly every night. He told her it was because it was on his way when in reality, it was the longer route to his place and he was just worried about her. He had to assure himself that she had made it to her house alright…the only way to do that was to personally walk her there. _

_On nights when he couldn't do it whether it be because he was out on a mission or because he had just returned from one and had just missed her. On those nights he didn't get very much sleep. It had truly become an obsession, he just couldn't stop himself from worrying about her._

_Every once in a while he was able to talk her into getting something to eat with him. Where he tried his hardest to make her smile…to get some kind of reaction out of her. _

_In those days he felt more like a stalker, he just couldn't leave her alone. She didn't really welcome his company, yet she didn't object to it either. He didn't realize in that short time span that what he had always thought of as a crush, was developing into love. _

_…then he left with Jiraiya…and he discovered a whole new kind of pain. The pain of being away from her. _

_He kept waiting for that 12yr old version of herself to resurface, tried to prepare himself for it. A new day would come and he tried to brace himself for the worst. _

_The rejection, seeing her swoon for the bastard who had been responsible for hurting her so much. Hoping, no praying that it wouldn't hurt so much when she did. _

_Then the damn woman shows up at his door. A routine she seemed to have gotten herself into a couple weeks after he had gotten back from his training with Jiraiya. _

_He didn't know whether to be angry or relieved that she kept coming back to him. _

_He was almost convinced now that the woman had no clue what she did to him. The affect she had on him, how one look, one glance, one word tumbling out of those lips, could make him take on the entire world to protect her…could make him as weak as a pin cushion, could make him nearly insane with desire for her. _

_If she didn't stop, if she didn't run off with that damned Uchiha soon. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to let her go. _

_It was hard enough trying to control himself around her. _

_When he'd finally reached the village again after being away for what felt to him like a lifetime, in reality 3 years. Seeing her again after so long, standing with Konohamaru and his friends, his chest had ached. The feelings that had always rushed through him when he saw her coursed through his veins. When her eyes met his it hit him so hard he'd lost his breath. He knew, in that second, that he was in love with her. _

_The more time he spent with her after that, the harder he fell. She was like a drug, a very dangerous addictive drug. The urge to touch her and hold her was getting worse, the urge to kiss her getting stronger and harder to ignore._

* * *

A voice floated up to his ears and Naruto dragged himself from his thoughts. Blue eyes drifting over to the pink haired angel sitting cross-legged on his floor. This afternoon she had once again knocked on his door and now she was sorting through the few dishes he owned.

It was an amazing discovery for him because he didn't even know they were there until she pulled them out of a cupboard. Now she was "organizing" them so he could use them.

The thought had made him snort in humor.

He's been so busy lately, he didn't have time to use his apartment for anything other than a place to sleep. The hokage seemed to be exacting her own form of twisted revenge on him for leaving like he had. Giving him mission after mission, almost right on top of each other. In the month that he's been back he has only been home maybe 4 or 5 times at the most.

Another sound erupted from the woman and he watched in amusement as she carefully yet thoroughly put the dishes in piles. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, wisps of pink hair had escaped the ponytail she had placed it in and now it was framing her face. She looked so incredibly cute, so beautiful.

"Jeeze Naruto, how long have these been sitting in your cupboard?"

He shrugged, "I don't know."

His breath caught when she turned those vivid green eyes in his direction and shot him a playful glare.

"It looks like you haven't washed these in years, there filthy."

She used a rag to clean one off and wrinkled her nose when she spied all the dust and dirt that was coming off. He smirked at the adorable site.

"So I heard that lady Tsunade allowed Sasuke to return to the Uchiha compound yesterday. She's putting him on probation for a year to see if he can prove that he wont betray the village again and run off."

The smirk vanished and Naruto snorted, the memory of what had taken place 3 days ago still fresh in his mind.

* * *

_He walked side by side with his former teacher, the copy-cat nin who had become one of his good friends over the years. A hard look on his face as he approached the holding cell. _

_Kakashi knew all about his encounters with his former comrade. The worry and fear etched in the older mans face when he heard the details had told him that what was happening to his former friend was serious and incredibly dangerous. It made his hate for Orochimaru grow and his anger at the jerk that he had once considered a friend intensify. _

_The cell door slid open and he followed his former sensei into the small room. _

_The second his eyes met a pair of onyx ones those eyes faded from coal black to angry red in an instant. _

_"Naruto," the Uchiha hissed, his voice dripping with malice. _

_Then the swirling red eyes flew to the other body in the room and for a second they widened, before narrowing. _

_His jet black hair hung messily around his face and shoulders, lips drawn up, exposing teeth as he sneered at both Naruto and Kakashi. He looked more like a monster than a man, perhaps he was. Maybe it was too late to distinguish the man from the monster. Maybe it was too late to save him. _

_"Sasuke, the hokage is going to put you on probation until you can prove to her and the rest of us that you are worthy of being a member of this village again." _

_Dark laughter erupted from the Uchiha, those murderous red eyes swirling angrily. _

_"You think I care about this pathetic village, why do you think I left in the first place?" _

_Naruto sucked in a deep breath, once a long time ago, he would have done this because he still believed that he could get his friend back…now he was only doing this for the sake of one person. Swallowing down his anger, he forced himself to speak. _

_"You stubborn ass, do you even hear yourself, listen to what your saying…has that snake bastard screwed with your mind that much!?"_

_More dark laughter filled the room, ruby red eyes gleaming. _

_"Some things never change, do they Naruto…your still trying to preach to me…well save your breath…I'm the strongest that Iv ever been, if I would have stayed here in this worthless place I never would have achieved that." _

_He drew in another deep breath, fighting to swallow down the anger boiling just above the surface. As he watched the Uchiha pace in front of him. The chains on his wrists and ankles sliding and scraping against the cement ground with every movement he made. _

_Kakashi took a step forward, "The curse seal…Sasuke…how many times have you used that curse seal?" _

_The Sharingan user turned his full attention on the older man. Lips turned up in a twisted smirk. _

_"Kakashi, I guess one good thing did come out of my wasted time in this village…you taught me the Chidori…and I was able to make it my own and create a more affective, more deadly technique out of it." _

_The copy-cat nin seemed unaffected by the comment, instead he took another step towards the irate Uchiha. Worry creasing his features the more he watched his former student._

_"Sasuke, how many times have you used the curse seal that Orochimaru gave you?" _

_The raven haired man stopped his pacing, and Naruto could have sworn that the Uchiha's eyes flickered from red to onyx for just a split second…then in a blink of an eye it was angry red once again. _

_His brows furrowed slightly, "I don't know." _

_Then another twisted smirk appeared on his face and he laughed. A dark sinister laugh that made Naruto's blood run cold. _

_"The curse seal is what has helped me get so strong." _

_The worry on Kakashi's face deepened, "Sasuke you can't use it anymore…you shouldn't have used it at all…if you don't get a handle on this sasuke it will completely take control of you, do you understand that?" _

_More laughter, "Why shouldn't I use the gift he has given me, he chose me, he gave me this power." _

_Almost on cue the curse mark on Sasuke's neck pulsed. His hand shot up to it and he grunted in pain. _

_"This is all your fault Naruto!!" _

_Sasuke screamed out suddenly, glaring heatedly at Naruto as his left hand continued to press against the curse mark that pulsed and hissed under his finger tips. _

_"I was so close to finding my brother, a few more months and I would have been strong enough to kill him!!" _

_"A few more months and Orochimaru would have been wearing you like a brand new pair of clothes!!" _

_Naruto screamed, unable to hold back his anger anymore. _

_"Don't you get it you stupid jerk, Orochimaru was going to take over your body like some parasite, he wants your Sharingan!!" _

_Sakura flashed in his mind and he shook with rage at the thought of how she suffered because of this asshole. _

_Naruto worked himself up into such a frenzy that he didn't even notice that the atmosphere in the cell had changed. He opened his mouth, fully intending to scream at the son of a bitch for hurting her so much when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. _

_That's when he saw it, the familiar dark aura swirling around the Uchiha. _

_Naruto's eyes widened as an ear piercing scream erupted from the Sharingan users mouth and the man doubled over, left hand clutching his neck as the ugly curse mark spread rapidly over his body like a disease. _

_"Naruto, it's spreading…we have to reseal it!!" _

_Another scream sliced through the air and Naruto watched as the dark aura turned pitch black, swirling faster and faster around the hunched body. _

_"SASUKE!!" _

_Naruto leaped at the man and tackled him to the ground, using all his strength to hold him down. _

_Sasuke fought furiously to break free, alternating between crying out in pain to making sounds that weren't even human. _

_"Hold him down, don't let him move!" _

_Naruto watched as Kakashi tore off the Uchiha prodigies opened shirt and began quickly writing symbols on his pale muscled back. _

_The curse mark had covered the whole left side of Sasukes body and the black aura was merely a blur now as it swirled around them. _

_Sasuke jerked roughly under Naurtos weight and he grit his teeth against the strain. _

_"Kakashi hurry!!" _

_The copy-cat nin quickly maneuvered himself so he was hovering right above the curse seal, made a series of hand signs then slammed both hands down on the throbbing curse mark. _

_Another ear splitting scream filled the room, followed by another and another as the symbols Kakashi had written on Sasukes flesh slowly disappeared. _

_Then, almost as if it had never happened. The curse mark receded and the aura vanished. _

_The Uchihas body went limp under his weight and he heard Kakashi sigh heavily._

* * *

After Kakashi sealed the curse mark they had left Sasuke unconscious body on the cell floor.

He had no idea if resealing the curse mark would help the guy or if the damage it had caused was already too great.

"Have you gone to see him lately?"

Naruto questioned, unable to keep the slight bitterness out of his voice as he spoke. Each day he thought about it, every time he looked at her the question hung over his head.

"No…no…not at all…" she answered after several moments of silence.

Sakura met his piercing blue eyes and averted her gaze quickly.

The truth was that she hadn't seen Sasuke since the day Naruto returned to the village. She was afraid, the thing that she had seen, it wasn't Sasuke. It was as if he had been someone else, or something else.

She reached for the plates she had cleaned off and put them aside.

It still baffled her that he had an entire set of plates and bowls sitting in his cupboard that he hadn't even used. Judging from how filthy they were she guessed that he never used them at all.

'_I'll have to change that'_

Sakuras eyes widened as the thought processed in her mind. Even more so at what the thought implicated.

She did not just think that, Naruto was her friend…nothing more.

She heard him shift his body a few feet away from her and knitted her brows together in irritation when her stomach fluttered.

She reached for the bowls and stood to her feet.

"You better start using these more, it's a waste to have them if your not going to use them."

She called over to him as she walked to the cupboard in the small kitchen.

Another frown slowly crept on her face as she reached for the cupboard and found that her finger tips barely touched the brown cupboard door. After a minute of struggling to reach for it she finally sagged in defeat. Shooting a glare up at the small brown wooden door.

A soft chuckle behind her made her visibly jump and she whirled around in surprise. Meeting the eyes of a clearly amused blonde who was leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest, a smirk plastered on his handsome face.

She immediately scowled, irritated that she couldn't reach the stupid cupboard…even more flustered by the fact that her pulse had sped up at an alarming rate at the site of him leaning so casually against the wall. His lips drawn in a half smirk was reeking havoc on her senses.

"I can remember a time when you were the tall one and I was the short one."

He reminisced, his deep voice laced with humor. Amusement apparent in his eyes, her scowl deepened.

"Yeah, yeah…" She muttered, turning back around to face the cupboard, green eyes narrowed when she heard his laughter.

He stood behind her and reached for the bowls, causing her heart to pound even harder. Then almost as if he were rubbing it in that she couldn't reach the cupboard…he made the task seem so simple and easy. His shoes never even left the floor.

She frowned, " your really enjoying this aren't you?"

When she didn't get an answer she made a huge tactical error by flying around to face him.

Her breath caught when she realized how close he was. His eyes locked on her with a gaze so intense that it made her stomach flutter.

Sakuras face flushed, both from being in close proximity to him, and irritation that her body was reacting the way it was because she was so close to him.

'_He's a friend, nothing more…'_

She repeated over and over again in her head.

He began leaning towards her and she jumped when her back hit the counter.

"_Just a friend…he's just a friend…nothing more…" _

She chanted non too convincingly in her head…her breath hitched when he paused, his face now mere inches away from hers. He had her trapped against the counter, locking her in with both his arms.

She could feel his hot breath hitting her lips and shuddered with desire.

The realization that she wanted to be kissed by this man washed over her and her eyes fluttered closed.

But the feel of his lips on hers never came…

A loud noise coming from the door sizzled through the tension in the room followed by a familiar voice.

"Sakura!!"

* * *

I know Its been awhile and I said I would update every tuesday...sorry about that...

Things have been really crazy and I had major writers block...getting this chappy written was hard as hell because of it.

To make amends I made this chappy nice and long...11 pages to be exact.

So enjoy!

Any imput is welcomed, suggestions... I love hearing from you guys...


	5. Chapter 5

"Would you open up!!

Kiba growled impatiently, pounding his fists on the door. It was bad enough that he became errand boy once again for that no good lazy hokage, but now he had to stand around on the other side of a door like an idiot when he had better things that he could be doing.

"I know your in there Sakura, Naruto!!"

After a few questionable sounds the door opened and Kiba's brow rose.

Sakura, her shoulder length pink hair tousled and tossed to one side of her head. Her face flushed, a look of irritation in her eyes…greeted him on the other side of the door.

His anger vanished instantly and a sly smirk spread on his face.

…_Something happened…_

She immediately noticed the grin and her green eyes narrowed to slits.

"What do you want Kiba…" Naruto's voice called out from inside the apartment. He didn't miss the irritation that practically oozed from his friends voice.

'…_Oh yeah, something diffidently happened…' _

"Sakura, your needed back at the hospital…Shizune said it's important…"

Her face morphed into concern, "she didn't say anything else?"

Kiba shook his head, "she just said it's important."

"and Naruto, lady hokage wants to see you asap…"

A growl sounded from inside and Naruto appeared in the doorway behind Sakura.

"What does the old hag want now?"

Kiba shrugged his shoulders, "how the hell should I know, I'm just the errand boy." He answered sarcastically. Still not at all happy that he got roped into taking this detour when he could be somewhere else.

Sakura turned back into the apartment and Kiba's smirk widened as he watched her collide and literally fall into Naruto's arms. The guys arms had instinctively caught her and automatically wrapped around her small waist.

Kiba barely held in the urge to laugh as the two seemed momentarily stunned before flying apart. The tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

'_something most diffidently happened between them' _

It was about time too, watching the fool he called friend mop around like a love sick idiot was beginning to get on his nerves. He could remember a time when the guy had been a blast to hang around. Now the guy was as boring as Shikamaru or Shino. Of course he had room to talk, but that had been years ago. Three to be exact and he had long since fixed the problem.

Sakura disappeared inside the apartment and he didn't miss the way Naruto's gaze followed her movements.

He also didn't miss-interpret the warning glare Naruto shot his way. The guys eyes spoke volumes of his feelings for the women inside…and of the bodily harm he would cause should Kiba say a word about the secret that only Kiba himself personally knew about.

Kiba just chuckled inwardly, he knew people that would kill for this kind of info. Especially the queen of gossip Ino who has tried to get it out of him relentlessly a number of times. He would never do that to Naruto though. And as tempting as it was he couldn't do it to Sakura either.

Rumors were already flying around the village about the two but nobody had any tangible evidence to back up there stories. So that's all it was, rumors.

Sakura re appeared and caught the sly grin that was still plastered on Kiba's face. She shot daggers in his direction. Her emerald eyes clearly threatening Kiba not to say a word about what he had just witnessed. He just continued to shine that knowing grin at her. Amused that she was so flustered, her face completely flushed.

"I'll see you guys later…" She told both men.

She felt Naruto's piercing gaze on her and frowned at the memory of how close the two had been to each other just moments before.

He almost kissed her, but what really wigged her out was that she had **wanted **him to kiss her.

' _he would have too if it hadn't been for dog boy' _

Sakura inwardly blanched at the unexpected thought. A blush creeping up her neck.

'_what's wrong with me' _she wondered, shooting another murderous glare in Kiba's direction when his grin widened, dark eyes glittering with a message that clearly said he knew why she was so flushed.

She turned hastily and walked away.

The second she was out of sight Kiba released the laughter he'd been holding in. Ignoring the angry glare boring down on him.

"You finally told her right?"

When he didn't get an answer he shook his head, "your going to crack…I see the way you look at her…your fighting a loosing battle buddy...sooner or later…your going to crack."

Kiba spoke from experience and almost laughed out loud once again at the memory of himself going through a very similar situation with his Ino. He could remember fighting his attraction to the blonde for over a year before the feelings literally exploded out of him.

Naruto glared at the ass he called friend. Fresh pain stinging his heart like a red hot poker.

"She doesn't like me you asshole," he snarled angrily.

"She's in love with Sasuke," he forced out harshly.

Spitting the words out as if they were poison.

Kiba could only shake his head at the stubborn fool. He couldn't believe the guy could be so dense and blind. But then again, this was Naruto after all. He may have changed a lot over the years but some things stayed exactly the same.

It was obviously clear to Kiba as well as half the village by now that the object of his affection was into him. Even if she herself didn't completely come to the realization yet. The attraction was there, had been for some time now. Yet Naruto seemed completely oblivious to it. Nobody had tangible proof that she was into him but all the evidence said she was.

Kiba snorted as Naruto turned abruptly, much like Sakura had done moments earlier, and stalked towards the Hokage tower.

"Idiot ,"

* * *

15 minutes later a door swung open and Tsunade's head jerked up just in time to see a very agitated Naruto charging towards her desk. His facial expression mirroring a mixture of pain and irritation.

The older woman sighed heavily at the young man.

"What do you want now you old bat?"

She should have expected the biting tone in his voice. His mood over the past several weeks has soured more and more and she knew exactly why. She had thought that sending him out on missions would keep him busy and help him since it was obvious that being around her pink haired student pained him.

It seemed like such a perfect solution…until it backfired and she understood the extent of his feelings for her student when he looked even worse returning from the missions. He was in love, he was suffering and although her first instinct was to try to sooth him and ease his pain. It looked as though nothing she did would help.

Still, his biting tone angered her and she narrowed her eyes at him.

'_Ungrateful brat' _

He was only one out of two people that she had ever come across who had the nerve to speak to her the way he did. Considering the fact that she could squash him like a bug without even breaking a sweat. He was very brave to keep pushing her buttons. He was lucky that she hadn't flattened him yet.

"Watch it brat," she snapped at him. Her temper rising when he growled in response. Not even a little intimidated by her words or the glare she was throwing in his direction. Instead looking as though he would take her on if she showed even the slightest hint that she wanted to fight.

It took all her self-control to stop herself from knocking him on his ass.

Grudgingly she did have to admit that it was this personality trait along with several others that made her grow to respect him.

She could feel the corners of her mouth twitch and had to fight to stop the small smile from spreading on her face. Her anger vanishing at the memory of a overly confident 12 year old boy who recklessly challenged her to a fight. Even when he had to have known that he stood no chance against her.

"Would you hurry the hell up old lady, what do you want?"

Her eyes narrowed,

"My sources tell me that Orochimaru has been spotted several miles from the village."

Another more ferocious growl erupted from the young man.

"Should have known that bastard wouldn't give up so easily," Naruto bit out harshly.

It had been only a handful of the things he had been thinking and worrying about since his return to the village with the Uchiha in tow.

It took him years to hunt down and drag Sasuke back to the village for **her**.

He'd be damned if he was going to let that snake bastard lure Sasuke away from the village for a second time.

"His motive may not be to attack the village but just in case Iv already sent several squads to secure a perimeter around the village."

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists, the demon inside him squirming to get free as rage pumped through his body.

"Sasuke," he growled. Forcing himself to swallow large calming breaths before he lost control.

Tsunade agreed, watching as he began pacing in front of her desk.

"That was my second guess, because it's such a high possibility Iv doubled the guard on the Uchiha."

Even as she spoke these words an idea sprang to her mind and she eyed the blonde who was alternating between muttering curses violently and growling.

"Why don't you question the Uchiha?"

Naruto immediately halted and stared at her like she had just sprung a third eye.

"Question Sasuke?!" He asked exclaimed unbelievably and for a moment she saw a flash of the boy she once knew in the man before her. The raised eyebrows and wide blue eyes something she had not seen in a long time.

"He would know better than anyone what Orochimaru has been plotting. He might be helpful."

Naruto immediately scowled, "and you really think he's going to tell me anything?"

"You're the one who spent all those years tracking him up and down the country side, not to mention you grew up with him and you two were on the same genin team, you know him the best."

His scowl deepened,

* * *

Naruto walked down the abandoned sidewalk in the desolate Uchiha Compound.

The place was like a shrine to the horrible tragedy that had taken place so long ago. Everything had been left exactly the way it was the night the clan had been slaughtered, a piece of the villages history frozen in time.

The area was dead silent save for the gusts of wind that brushed past his whiskered face. The paint chipped, cracked walls of the buildings whispering long forgotten memories of this once powerful thriving clan.

He had always wondered when they were children how Sasuke could continue to live in such an empty place by himself. So isolated from the rest of the village. It had baffled him that someone so popular would choose isolation over having people pay attention to you and care about you. He would have gladly traded places with the guy.

Then again, Sasuke always seemed to have everything he didn't. The attention he had so badly craved from many of the villagers as a child, the love and affection of a certain pink haired kunoichi….

Naruto saw two guards up ahead and drew in several deep breaths.

He honestly didn't know what to expect, what he was going to come face to face with. The sadistic killer that he had come to recognize over the years or the guy he had once saw as a friend. There really was no way of telling just how much damage the curse seal had caused. Not to mention the years the guy spent with Orochimaru.

It wouldn't do him any good if he shoved Sasuke up against a wall by his throat for being able to catch the eye of the woman he loved so easily when he's been trying to do it since they were children. It would be even worse if he beat the man to a pulp for hurting her so much for so many years.

Pink flashed before his eyes and his mind immediately slipped from the task at hand to her without even realizing it. The haunting image of her parted lips, so soft and so very kissable flittered in his mind. The way her emerald green eyes had watched him inch towards her. The faint yet intoxicating scent that was so very addictive and so uniquely her permentantly branded in his memory.

A familiar ache throbbed in his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. A feeling of raw need trembled through his body and he grit his teeth.

He didn't even realize he had stopped walking until one of the guards that he just happened to now be standing in front of spoke.

This snapped him out of his stupor and he growled inwardly. Scowling and shaking his head violently.

"I'm here under the Hokages orders to question the Uchiha." He spoke, still trying to shake the images of Sakura from his mind. As well as ignore the ache that was growing steadily worse.

'_gotta stay focused'_

The guards nodded there heads and he stepped past them and opened the door to the apartment. It was a rather large place and somehow it didn't surprise him that Sasuke would live in such a giant house. But for all it's size, the place was empty and almost completely bare.

The walls were made of old oak and looked as though they were rotting from the inside out. A thick layer of dust and cobwebs the only decoration, the color faded and old. The only furniture was a black couch that looked as if it hadn't been used for years. It too was covered in a think layer of dust and cobwebs.

He felt it before he heard the footsteps.

The familiar chakra signature of the guy he had once considered his best friend flitted over to him and he realized almost immediately that there was something different about it. The almost suffocating dark aura that had once surrounded the Uchiha like an ominous cloud had dwindled slightly.

"What the hell do you want," the Uchiha questioned coldly. His voice had lost nearly all the anger that it had been laced with the last time he encountered the guy.

That didn't mean the cold attitude didn't piss Naruto off.

He glared dangerously at the raven haired man in front of him. So used to always having to fight the Uchiha in previous encounters that he was naturally on guard.

How he would love to ram the guys head through a wall a few times, but then he wouldn't get any questions answered and he would have made this trip for nothing.

Naruto kept his glare on the Uchiha as the man walked down the long stairwell in the middle of the room. Body poised and ready, yet the Uchiha didn't make any move to attack.

"I need answers about…."

"…Orochimaru…" Sasuke cut in, his expression unreadable as he stared hard at Naruto.

"I already know he's close by." Sasuke stated calmly.

Naruto's glare intensified, "So what the hell is he doing here!"

Sasuke's stony expression didn't change but Naruto could have sworn he saw a hint of amusement in the guys eyes.

"It may come as a surprise to you _loser_, but he never really spoke to me unless he was teaching me a new jutsu."

Naruto snorted, "all that time you spent by that sick bastards side and you never once heard him talk about anything involving this village?"

"Like I said, unless he was teaching me a new jutsu, I didn't pay attention to him and he didn't pay attention to me."

When Naruto gave the Uchiha a look that clearly stated "I don't believe you" his jaw clenched.

"I know for a fact that Orochimaru kept you close to him, you had to have heard something."

The Uchiha glared, "All I cared about was the fact that the guy knew powerful jutsu's, anything else was a waist of my time. It wasn't like I spent every moment with the guy. When he wasn't training me I was sleeping or out on a missions."

Naruto kept an unwavering gaze on the raven haired man, in another time and place he would have believed the guy's words completely. But given all that had happened, the horrific crimes that he has seen the man in front of him commit for the snake bastard in question.

He didn't trust one word that rolled off the Uchiha's tongue.

"I only have one goal Naruto, that is to find and kill my brother. Nothing else matters and I'll do whatever it takes to reach that goal."

Naruto, naturally suspicious and now even a little surprised by the raven haired mans words, decided to try a different tact to get answers.

"So, your willing to let that freak take your body, because you want to get stronger. What the hell do you think is going to happen after he is finished training you?"

This time the Uchiha downright scowled, the irritation and…was that disgust…clearly written on the mans face.

Now Naruto was really surprised, never once had he seen that look of disgust on his ex-friends face at the mention of that particular subject. Actually, it has been years since he's seen any kind of real emotion besides raw killing intent cross the mans face.

Sasuke seemed to realize that he was outwardly expressing more than just his growing irritation at the blonde standing before him because his scowl deepened, looking absolutely ferocious now.

"That wasn't going to happen, I had a plan…"

Sasuke glared at the blonde standing in front of him. He was still furious that the fool had quite literally dragged him back to the village unconscious, making good on the threat he had made years earlier when they were 12. Completely ruining all the careful plans that the Uchiha had made to not only make himself stronger but to begin the hunt for his elder brother.

Although he grudgingly had to admitt that he owed the idiot. Because although he had been warned years earlier about the effects of the curse seal. He arrogantly thought he could keep it under control. The solution in his eyes had been easy, as long as used the seal as a last resort it should be okay and the damage would be minimal.

Only he had found that the temptation to use it had been almost irresistible. The more he used it, the more he began to crave the dark power that surged through his body whenever it became active…the raw power was unlike anything he had felt before and he liked it…a lot.

He was never told how addicting the power that came with the curse seal could be. How the seal would make him dependant upon it, much like one would become dependant on drugs.

He thought he had it under control, it never even occurred to him that the thing was slowly yet effectively eating away at his soul. That he was using it more and more often without even realizing it. That it was changing his personality and he wasn't even aware of it happening.

He never planned on letting the Snake Sanin have his body. Yet if he kept going on the way he had been going. He may have reached a point where he wouldn't have cared either way.

If it wasn't for the relentless actions of his idiot best friend. All his hard work would have been for nothing and he never would have been able to avenge his clan.

"Look loser, I have no idea why the hell he is here now and I don't care. I took what I needed from him."

Naruto puffed up like a ruffled peacock at the use of the old nickname. Sasuke almost smirked at the semi-familiar site. It was an even more amusing site now because of how ridiculous the 19 year old blonde looked.

"Stop calling me that you asshole!!"

Naruto growled and the corners of the Uchiha's lips twitched at how easy it still was to get the blonde riled up.

* * *

10 minutes later Naruto stalked out of the compound, more irritated than when he first entered. Muttering curses under his breath.

This is how Tsunade found him when she turned towards the compound just as he walked out.

"Did he say anything?"

"You mean anything besides the bullshit he fed me? I told you he wasn't going to tell me anything."

Naruto growled out the last part, muttering more profanity's under his breath about stubborn ass Uchiha's.

When Tsunade looked almost amused Naruto scowled. Then went into great detail about how utterly hopeless it was getting any kind of information out of the "pain in the ass jerk."

She could tell that he didn't entirely trust the Uchiha, but judging by his tone of voice she could tell that his friendship with the Uchiha wasn't entirely broken either. How else could the Uchiha get him so worked up in such a short span of time.

The blonde was so worked up that he continued to drone on the entire walk back to the hokage tower. Until she had to literally kick him out of her office and order him to go home.

* * *

I Updated!!

GASP

LOL!! Sorry for the long wait everyone...Iv been busy as hell lately and on top of that I had major writers block when it came to writing the Naruto/Sasuke scene in the chapter.

I'm still not completely satisfied with it either. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and the scene had to be perfect because ( as you will find out in later chapters ) the relationship between these two characters is important to the rest of the story line.

There is going to some major Naruto/Sakura fluff in the chapters to come.


	6. Chapter 6

She's been doing pretty good distracting herself from her confusing thoughts and feelings. It turns out that several men came in unexpectedly from a mission half dead and Shizune was frazzled because she was short handed at the hospital.

Sakura of course was more than willing to jump head first into the situation. She has always been able to loose herself in her work and three hours ago she had desperately needed the distraction.

Only now her patients were stable, her work was nearing it's end and her jumbled thoughts and feelings were back with a vengeance.

A sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes.

She immediately stopped when piercing blue eyes flashed in her mind.

Heat crawled up her neck as a vivid memory of his tall form towering inches away from her entered unwanted in her mind. The powerful muscles that she knew existed under the black shirt he had been wearing, flexing with every controlled movement of his body. His handsome face hovering so close to hers that she could feel the heat of his breath on her lips.

Sakura let out another more exasperated breath as she abruptly stopped that train of thought. Eyes squeezed shut to stop the unwanted images her thoughts had produced.

"What's wrong forehead?"

Sakura raised her hands and moved her fingers over to her temples. Inwardly cringing at the sound of her best friends irritating voice.

It was all she needed, her blabber mouthed friend snooping around. Sakura had come to learn lately that whenever Ino decided to grace her with her presence that it wasn't a good thing. It meant that the blonde was up to something.

"What do you want pig?"

"I thought your shift ended hours ago?" The irritating voice of her blonde friend questioned and Sakura had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to go away.

"There was an emergency and Shizune was short handed so I came back."

When nothing but silence followed her response Sakura began to get a little suspicious. Mentally thinking up a number of excuses incase her nosy best friend decided to try and set her up on another one of her nightmarish blind dates.

"Well where were you before that?"

Blue eyes flashed in her mind once again and she squeezed her eyes to block it out. Inwardly cursing herself when a blush creeped up her neck.

"I was at home trying to figure out what I was going to eat for dinner tonight."

It sounded lame to her own ears, so it wasn't suprising when she heard the annoying voice again.

"No you weren't, I stood on your door step for 10 minutes knocking forehead…unless your def…"

Sakura frowned and began to slowly massage her temples.

"Look pig I have a head ache, I haven't eaten anything since this morning, and I still have to make one more round before I can go home."

Again there was silence, then the sound of feet scraping against tile floor.

"So, tell me about him…" it wasn't a question but a statement and Sakura's eyes shot open in surprise.

"W…what…" was all poor Sakura could force out of her mouth as she stared wide eyed at the devious blonde standing a few feet away.

The statement had been spoken so calmly and matter of factly that it completely stunned her. Her face burned despite herself and she almost growled in annoyance. She had been blushing uncontrollably off and on all day long. She hasn't done that since she was 12 years old!!

She made a mental note to give herself a check up later to make sure she wasn't coming down with something. It was the only explanation for why her body was reacting this way.

The blonde grinned madly and Sakura was suddenly panicked. A grinning Ino was diffidently not a good sign.

"You heard me Sakura, normally you are in exactly two places…here in the hospital or at your house. Today you weren't at either places. Same as yesterday and the day before that. So who is he?"

Sakura scowled, blush still apparent on her face.

"I don't know what your talking about pig."

The knowing grin plastered on the other woman's face looked oh so familiar to the one she saw on anothers face earlier today and Sakura's scowl deepened. Since Ino started dating Kiba the blonde was acting like him more and more everyday.

Or maybe it was the other way around?

Sakura shook her head before reaching up to undo the ponytail she had placed her hair in earlier.

"Then why is your face darker than your hair right now? You've been flushed since I walked in. So I'm going to ask you again…who-is-he…"

Sakura's blush intensified as she combed her hair out with long slender fingers. She opened her mouth to give an explaination but promptly shut it when Ino shot her a look that clearly said "don't even try making excuses."

"It's nobody," Sakura answered too quickly and Ino shot her a disaproving look. Irritation flickering in her eyes.

She had long since gotten over her silly childhood crush on the Uchiha, Sakura hadn't and spent years grieving.

"If it's nobody than why are you blushing Sakura? I haven't seen you blush this hard since we were children."

Sakura frowned, "I'm telling you there is no guy!"

Even as she said these words she knew she was lying. That boyishly handsome face flashed in her mind and she was sure that her face must resemble a cherry by now.

Damn it!! It was as if her mind and body had turned against her.

"I know your lying forehead, I can tell by the look on your face. If there is no guy then where have you been disappearing to for the last couple days?"

Sakura growled in frustration, "I was at Naruto house ok!!"

The second the words slipped out of her mouth her green eyes widened in horror. Ino looked momentarily stunned by the outburst before looking as though she had just discovered the missing piece to a puzzle.

Sakura scowled, still blushing furiously.

"It's true then isn't it…Sakura…do you…like Naruto…" the blonde asked carefully, staring intently at her.

"Of course not!!" Sakura growled out, glaring daggers at the women when a sly smirk spread across her face. Just like Kiba after she had clumsily fallen into Naruto on her way back inside the apartment.

Ino was inwardly leaping for joy at this news. Sure people talked but she didn't actually think that Sakura was interested in anybody that wasn't Sasuke Uchiha. She knew that Naruto was in love with Sakura, hell everybody knew that he was in love with Sakura. It was as common as Hinata's crush had been on Naruto years ago. But Ino never thought Sakura would return the feelings.

Thinking back on her best friends behavior over the last couple years it actually made a lot of sense. She thought it was just because the girl had been moping around over Sasuke again. She never even thought of the possibility that Sakura had been upset because Naruto had left. All the times she watched the two interact, all the time Sakura has spent with Naruto since he's been back. The reason every attempt to hook Sakura up with a guy failed miserably.

The frazzled look on her flushed face right now as she spoke. Trying unsuccessfully to come up with valid excuses as to why she DIDN'T like Naruto. Though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself these things then anything else.

The more Ino thought about it the more giddy she became. Naruto had always been furiously protective of Sakura and she knew that he would never hurt her the way Sasuke had when they had been genin. She approved of Naruto 100 percent...

"I mean come on, iv been crazy about Sasuke since I was 7 years old!! Naruto's just a really good friend, nothing more."

The blonde couldn't help it, she beamed happily. Recognizing almost immediately the denial her friend seemed to be suffering from.

After all she had gone through the same thing with Kiba. She had been in complete denial for months, stubbornly refusing to even acknowledge the attraction she felt towards the Inuzuka. Unfortunately for her, Kiba had been just as stubborn and it had taken some time before they both couldn't fight there attraction any longer.

Ino was thrilled at the thought of her best friend finally being able to experience what it feels like to be in love. Judging from the way her pink haired friend was still blabbering on she could clearly see that Sakura wasn't ready to acknowledge or accept her feelings.

Knowing Sakura she could be just as temperamental and stubborn…if not worse than herself. It was diffidently going to be interesting to watch the situation unfold.

Since Sakura was in such a deep state of denial and confronting her now would ultimately cause the pink haired woman to go into an even deeper state of denial…ino decided to let the subject go. Besides, she was confident that the situation would work out on it's own without her meddling.

It worked out between her and her Kiba.

"So have you spoken to Hinata lately?"

The blonde questioned, successfully ending the constant flow of words from her friend.

Sakura was instantly suspicious...

There was just no way that Ino would drop the subject so quickly.

"I saw her yesterday, why?"

Ino just shook her head absentmindedly and went on to another topic, much to Sakura's bewilderment.

They talked for several more minutes before Ino left to meet up with Kiba.

Sakura made several more rounds to check on her patients before walking down the long narrow hall towards the exit.

Her odd not to mention uncharacteristic conversation with Ino playing over and over in her mind.

* * *

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she failed to see the lone figure standing in front of the exit.

Sakura ran a hand absently through her pink hair and allowed her eyes to drift up lazily…then screamed in surprise at the figure standing just few feet away, the hand in her hair frozen in place.

Almost immediately she recognized the person as he ran a large hand through sun kissed blonde hair.

"NARUTO don't do that to me!!" She snapped, telling herself that it was the trauma of having the shit scared out of her that is making her stomach flutter…and nothing else.

He grinned sheepishly, his lips quirking up in a way that made her knees feel weak. Quickly Sakura averted her eyes from his lips only to find that his mesmerizing blue eyes were watching her with such intensity that she nearly lost her breath.

Her pulse sped up as her traitorous mind flooded her with vivid memories of her previous encounter with him. The memory of the last time he looked at her like that still very fresh in her mind.

"Sorry Sakura, thought you saw me…"

His deep voice only made her heart beat increase and she flushed even harder if that was possible.

"NARUTO, you scared the SHIT out of me!!" She snapped once again, completely flustered and off-balance. Something she didn't like at all. She has always prided herself on being able to take control of situations and she has nearly perfected the art of being able to control her emotions. Naruto seemed to have an uncanny way of disrupting that and she didn't like it.

Her snippy words only made him chuckle lightly and a rush of tingles to slide down her spine. Which only served to make her even more flustered. She moved to place her hand at her side and it was at this exact moment that she realized her fingers were still tangled in her pink locks.

Which basically meant that she had been standing in front of him all this time with her arm up in the air like an idiot.

Her face erupted in flames of embarrassment as she wretched her hand free. Scowling when she heard another chuckle escape the man's lips.

"I'm going home," she finally declared. Wanting nothing more than to get away before she did anything else to embarrass herself.

Honestly, what the hell was wrong with her? This was Naruto of all people!!

_'I Haven't acted like this since…'_

She stopped that train of thought quickly and promptly continued towards the exit. Trying to ignore the way her blood seemed to heat up as she passed him. Or the fact that the strong scent of sweat mingled with the familiar scent of forest seemed to roll off him and attack her nose. Something that did absolutely nothing to help calm her racing pulse.

The second the slightly chilly air hit her she exhaled, reveling in the cool air. Footsteps could be heard behind her and she stopped walking.

"You don't have to follow me home you know!" She called over her shoulder. Her voice sounding a little harsher than she meant it to.

"It's no problem, besides it's getting dark and it's safer if I walk with you."

His tone told her that he was going to follow her whether she liked it or not and she frowned. A large part of her swooned and melted at the thought that he worried about her.

Her frown deepened,_ 'he always does this, so what the HELL is WRONG WITH ME!!'_

"I can take care of myself…" she grumbled at last. Not trusting herself to anything else in fear that she would end up saying something idiotic. She continued walking in the direction of her apartment with him falling into step beside her.

"It's not you I'm worried about, it's everyone else, your in one of your moods and god only knows what you'll do to someone if they get in your way. Especially now when you have that insane strength of yours."

The smart ass remarked cockily…all warm fuzzy feelings evaporated as if they never existed and she stilled, flexing her fingers as if they were razor sharp claws, eyebrow twitching.

"NARUTO!!" She growled, spinning around and knocking the much larger male to the ground in less than a second. Emerald eyes blazing with anger, her chest heaving up and down, making her look more like a psychotic Hyena than a woman.

Her extreme irritation warred with a new batch of butterflies fluttering in her stomach as he laughed from his place on the ground. Pure amusement shining in his blue eyes as they met her green ones.

"You haven't lost your touch at all, you still know how to knock the shit out of someone."

He laughed, climbing to his feet. When she continued to snarl and glare at him he raised his hands in defeat, struggling to hold back laughter.

Nothing made her look more beautiful than when she was riled up like this. Her porcelain skin tinted pink, matching the pink locks that spilled lossely around her face. Those expressive green eyes sparking with emotion as they glared heatedly at him, lips parted slightly as she all but hissed like a ruffled, unhappy kitten.

"I was kidding alright," he tried to reassure, almost laughing once again when those vivid green eyes narrowed at him for grinning at her.

Teasing her was just too much fun, something he always loved to do. Even back when they were children. She was easy to rile up and he had always been fascinated by the shades of color and different expressions that would cross her face when she got irritated or enraged.

Her face relaxed slightly and she turned once again and began walking. He followed and found himself grinning widely when she continued muttering that she "wasn't a child," and that "she could take care of herself," "didn't need an escort to her apartment…"

The rant went on and on and he had a feeling that she didn't know he could hear her as she spoke. It made the situation all the more amusing and adorable as she ranted to herself the entire three minute walk to her apartment.

"What, are you going to hold my hand and walk me inside my apartment too!?"

She screeched comically and it was all he could do to keep a straight face as they stood outside her apartment door. When he didn't reply she shot him another glare before fishing in her clothes for her keys.

All traces of amusment vanished from his features when her shirt rode up an inch as she reached for the pocket on her black stretch pants, giving him a view of the creamy skin just above her hip. It was bad enough that the damned thing seemed to fit her like a second skin. Hugging the womanly curves that she possessed.

He inhaled sharply as she continued her search before pulling out her keys.

"I can take it from here Naruto…I don't have monsters in my apartment you know!! I'm a big girl... "

Her voice died in her throat the second his eyes met hers. The almost savage look on his face making her heart slam against her rib cage. His blue eyes smoldering, holding her gaze.

When he started moving, the powerful muscles in his arms flexing under the tight material of his black shirt as he did so. Her green eyes widened, suddenly feeling very vulnerable under his predatory gaze.

She stumbled back clumsily and nearly jumped out of her skin when her back hit the solid door behind her.

Distracted for the moment Sakura averted her eyes and scowled, not at all happy about being trapped once again by the same guy in the same day!!

He kept advancing forward until she could feel the heat of his body inches from her own. Her heart pounding so hard she swore she could hear it. When she focused back on his face every nerve in her body tightend like a wound up spring and all breath flew out of her lungs.

* * *

Here's chapter 6,

Another cliffy...hehehe...

Just a quick announcement...I enrolled at a trade school and I'm going to be moving up to Utah in a little over 3 weeks. Because of this updates are going to be coming at a much slower pace. I'll try to get at least one more chappy up before then. After that I wont be able to update until sometime around the thanksgiving holiday.

A special thanks to those who are reading and those who have reviewed. It's the best feeling in the world to know that people are reading my work and I adore hearing from you guys.


	7. Chapter 7

_'I shouldn't be here'_

It was the first thought that had raced through his mind when he watched her pull out her keys. More creamy skin, this time closer to her stomach was exposed to his hungry gaze as she arched her back, rising to her full height in what seemed like slow motion.

Lust clenched a fist hard around him and squeezed.

'_Sakura…"_

She was talking again but he wasn't listening.

Blue eyes trailed over her heart shaped face that was framed by a head full of silky pink locks. Her delicate yet surprisingly strong jaw, those lips full and velvety plum-rich. Then he found himself staring into vivid green and he realized immediately that he should have never walked to the hospital. He shouldn't be standing in front of her door. Not when all he could think about was kissing her.

'_Just turn around, turn around and walk away…' _

Yet his body wouldn't listen to his mental command and before he knew it he was drawing closer to her. Cornering her with his body once again, all rational thought flying out the door as he dragged in another shaky breath. Breathing in more of the odd faint mixture of vanilla and strawberries that she has always smelled of. The scent was like a poison that seemed to seep into his blood.

Sakura panicked as he watched her with the intensity of a wolf. A large hungry wolf. She didn't know how he could make her feel as if he was pealing off her clothes with his gaze, but he did and it was unnerving. The way those smoldering dark blue eyes raked over her made her feel so vulnerable, shy and…beautiful…so many different emotions that frightened, excited and confused her.

She knew she was in trouble. She didn't like being cornered like this and she most diffidently didn't like the way her body was reacting to his close proximity. She needed to get away, because if she didn't she was afraid of what might happen next.

Much to her utter shock and exasperation, she ended up doing just the opposite. Inspite of herself she tilted her head back and met his gaze…or tried to anyways.

He really was much taller than she remembered.

Her eyes snagged and held about 3 inches below his dark blue eyes on his perfectly sculptured, beautifully colored lips.

Inwardly scowling at her own scandalous actions and almost angry that he had such beautiful lips. Really, a mans lips should **not **be so well formed and desirable. Were Sasuke's lips this beautiful? And since when did Naruto have beautiful lips!?

She couldn't remember, she was having trouble forming any coherent thought with his body so close to hers. Her mind swarmed with images of tasting him and her traitorous knees started to get all wobbly. The image and feel of those lips hovering close to hers last time still so fresh in her mind.

'_I don't want him to kiss me, I __**don't**__ want him to kiss me' _

Her denial lost it's force though when she met his gaze once again. The intense gaze scrambled her senses, making her ache for something she fought furiously to block out of her mind.

'_I will __**not**__ think about him kissing any part of my body!' _

Her breath hitched when she felt his large hands cup her face, pressing her back against the door, trapping her fully with his powerful body. Flames uncoiled in her belly and she nearly whimpered when his face inched towards hers.

She was in serious danger. Danger of completely loosing herself to this…this…man…who had cornered her TWICE and was making her feel things she had never felt before. She still couldn't believe that this was the same one who used to irritate her so much when they were children. As if he'd went out of his way to find new ways to grate on her nerves. Thinking back on it now…she was struck with a sudden revelation.

'_Did he…'_

The motive behind the behavior she had found so annoying as a child. Her eyes widened at the realization…all the times he seemed to be there when she needed someone. The only one who really knew her, understood her.

'_could he have really…?…"_

A puff of hot breath hit her lips and she couldn't suppress the shuddered that quaked through her body.

Noting an in almost panicked sense that he was going to kiss her and she was completely helpless to stop it. More disturbing was the fact that she didn't **want** him to stop.

She watched as his thumb moved to her lips and nearly melted against him when she felt the roughened skin slide gently across her lower lip. Eyes sliding closed as she fought to muster what little strength she had left.

"..Na…Naruto…" she stuttered, her voice that was meant to come out strong and firm ended up sounding more like a pleasured moan and she instantly regretted opening her mouth at all. Another shudder of desire racing through her body when a deep growl vibrated in his chest.

She could hear his uneven, ragged breaths and it excited her to think that she was affecting him just as much as he was affecting her. Her chest tightened as the question once again entered her mind.

'_could he really…?…'_

Then immediately scowled inwardly…

'_I should __**not**__ be thinking like this damnit!' _

He was so close now and she squeezed her eyes shut. Knowing that the second he kissed her it was all over. Afraid to look into those stormy dark blues eyes. Knowing full well that they were gazing at her with that same intensity and desire that she had glimpsed back in his apartment. Nobody had ever looked at her like that before. It scared her, made her stomach tighten and her heart thunder in her chest.

He paused, his lips a scant breath from hers and she nearly squirmed with impatience as she waited for the impact of his lips.

……………

……………

………………

…It never came…

………………

………………

………………

Quicker than lightening he released her and backed away. Another growl erupting deep in his throat when she whimpered loudly in protest.

Her face screwed up in a frown at the loss of his warmth, lips pursed in a luscious pucker.

It was almost his undoing. He took another step towards her before he could stop himself then staggered back several more paces. When she parted her lips, her warm wet tongue darting out to slide over the spot he had been touching mere seconds ago he struggled to keep himself back. To keep from pouncing on her like a half crazed love sick lunatic.

He had to get away from her...now...

* * *

After several moments of standing still, waiting to see what he was going to do. Sakura allowed her eyes to flutter open. Expecting to see his face…instead she saw nothing but an empty space where he had been standing mere moments ago.

The sky was almost completely dark and she could see several stars already hanging in the pre-twilight sky.

She didn't know whether to be relieved or incredibly furious as the full impact of what had taken place processed in her slightly muddled brain. It took her several more moments before she could calm her rapidly beating heart and compose herself.

Assuring herself that she absolutely was **not** disappointed in the least by the way things had played out.

Sakura spun on her heel and turned towards the door, gripping the keys in her hand.

'_I did NOT want him to kiss me!' _

Unfortunately for her an evil part of her mind decided to test that theory by torturing her in the worst possible way.

The memories, vivid and in techno color began to play itself over and over again as she pushed her key through the key hole and turned the knob. As well as a question that made her stomach clench and her heart beat erratically.

She groaned mournfully, _'stupid Naruto!'_

_-- --- --- --_

At the same moment the man in question stalked back to his apartment. The chilly night air doing nothing to cool his heated blood. He had no idea what had come over him, but he knew now with great clarity that it was no longer safe to be alone with the pink haired beauty. Not when all he wanted to do was shove her against a wall and kiss her senselessly.

'_Until those full pink lips were swollen…those emerald green eyes slightly dazed as they gazed at him…' _

Naruto growled, cursing violently under his breath when he realized she must have touched him at some point, because he could still **smell** her. The scent alone was enough to make him turn around and bolt back to her apartment. He shook his head violently, trying desperately and failing miserably to shake the images of her from his mind.

Jesus, he felt like he was loosing his mind. Maybe he was, with each breath he dragged into his lungs. More of that intoxicating scent of strawberries and vanilla swirled around him. Threatening the control he was desperately trying to cling to. She was a drug, his drug...worse than heroine and nicotine combined.

With fists held tightly at his sides. He grit his teeth and forced himself to move forward.

'_she wants Sasuke…Sasuke…not you…'_

Just thinking about her with the raven haired man made his gut clench painfully.

_She had better hurry up and run off with the Uchiha…if she didn't do it soon…he wouldn't be able to let her go._

* * *

The bright morning sun flittered in through the open window and he hissed angrily, shielding himself from the offending light. Burying his face in the pillow beside his head.

Normally he would have been up before the sun training. Since he's been back in the village though that routine has changed somewhat. Because he was not yet allowed to leave the compound and move freely around the village due to his past activities and crimes. He has been holed up in the one place he has hated with a passion since the night that had altered his life forever.

With the exception of several visitors here and there.

It shocked him to think that some of his old friends. People that he had gone to school with, trained with and even on occasion goofed around with when he had been a genin. Seemed to forgive him for his betrayal and even seemed to still consider him a friend. Kakashi, Ino (an ex-fan girl,) Lee.

Others didn't seem to care either way. Only instead of hatred burning in their eyes when they looked at him he saw acceptance. On one hand it annoyed him that the people of this village were so easy to trust, but a large part of him was actually relieved that they didn't hate him. That he wouldn't have to see the disgust and anger burning in their eyes for the things he'd done in the name of revenge.

This truth only annoyed him more.

All those years he spent trying to rid himself of emotions. Convincing himself not to care, not to feel. Trying to break off the ties that tethered him to this village. To the people that lived in this village. All the instincts that had compelled him to protect instead of kill.

Well, it looks as though he failed. Ironic really that he tried so hard to be like his brother…unfeeling, cold, full of hate. So he could kill him, the man that had brought him so much pain and gave him so many nightmares. The one who murdered his parents and every family member he ever loved.

Instead he ended up exactly the way his brother had predicated. Itachi had been right, he did feel too much. He did care too much, and it seemed that nothing he did would ever change that.

The offending light was getting brighter and he growled irritably. Heaving the blanket covering his body off with a violent shove. He sat up, brushing away several strands of raven locks that fell in his face as he moved.

Onyx eyes glared heatedly at the rays of sun light reflecting off the window pane before allowing his gaze to drift towards the door to his bedroom.

Technically the bedroom, along with the entire house, belonged to a distant relative of his. Since he couldn't stand sleeping in the house he had shared with his parents and brother. It was filled with too many memories that he couldn't deal with…not yet anyways.

Even though it's been years since it happened. The images from the night his clan was murdered are still etched deeply in his mind as clearly and vividly as if it had just happened yesterday.

Forcing away that particular train of thought, the young prodigy pushed himself to the edge of the bed and stood. Still shooting angry glares at the stupid sun light that was responsible for rousing him so damned early. It wasn't as if he could just take a stroll down the street. What the hell was he supposed to do all day!

10 minutes later he was dressed and walking down the narrow stairwell that led to the living room, kitchen and the 5 Anubi that have been hanging around since Orochimaru made the trek from sound to a mile from the gates of Konoha.

It was amusing that the hokage seemed to think that guards would be able to stop him if he made the decision to return to the sound base. They didn't seem to grasp just how far he had come since he left the village 8 years ago. Lucky for them he had no desire to return to that place.

Sasuke reached the bottom of the stairs and sent a slightly annoyed glare at one of the Anubi passing by.

'_just another uneventful day in the Uchiha compound' _

The raven haired man thought sarcastically.

* * *

"Do you think he still likes this stuff?"

A young woman with waist length, silky dark hair questioned softly as her pale eyes scrutinized the items in front of her. Gone was the shy, self-conscious young girl she had once been. Over the years she has grown and matured into a confident, beautiful young woman. Having long since fixed her studdering problem. She was now considered a strong and surprisingly cunning foe to her enemies.

Not as powerful as her cousin of course who was the pride of the clan. The second out of the rookie 9 that made Jounin and the first out of them to earn the rank of Anubi Captain. Yet she was more than worthy of taking on the responsibility of being the heiress of her clan and she had finally earned the respect and approval she had craved so much from her father as a little girl.

"Are you serious, the guy's changed a lot but I doubt he's changed that much Hinata."

A male voice answered incredulously. The heiress brows furrowed in concentraition as she looked at the different combination of items in front of her. She felt two strong arms snake around her waist from behind and sighed.

"What kind should I get him?"

The question made the male behind her roll his eyes.

"Honestly Hinata, If he's anything like I remember it's not going to matter what kind you buy. He'll eat anything."

This made the petite young woman in his arms shift so she could look at him.

"That's not funny Shikamaru…" she scolded lightly, glaring when she noticed the amusement shinning his dark eyes.

She turned back to the different choices sitting on the shelf before her.

She may have changed a lot from the shy young woman he remembered growing up, but some things about her haven't changed at all.

A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as a plan began to unwind itself in his mind.

"chicken, spicy chicken…beef…shrimp…" Hinata murmured under her breath as she scrutinized each item carefully.

It amazed him that she didn't seem to realize how beautiful she was. He noticed it years ago when she was still pretty shy and vowed to remind her of it everyday.

The first time he saw her without that huge jacket she always wore. His jaw had dropped to the ground. To say he was stunned was an understatement as his eyes had trailed over her curvy shapely body.

The body of a goddess…who knew she was hiding **that** under all those clothes? And for the first time in his life his brain completely shut down on him. She was like a potent poison to his normally sharp mind.

Through hard work and determination that he has always admired about her. She managed to transform herself into a stunning and surprisingly strong young woman. Neji may be the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan but she was the jewel. A rare beautiful jewel.

It was safe to say that he had developed a new addiction, she was currently locked in his arms. Completely engrossed in thought as she eyed the food carefully, unconsciously murmuring under her breath.

Smirking, he decided now was the perfect time to execute his plan. For with all the changes she has gone through. One thing has remained exactly the same.

"…pork…spic…" Her voice died in her throat when she felt hot breath hit her ear.

White milky eyes narrowed and she wrinkled her nose adorably, batting him away distractedly before focusing back on the food. His smirk widened and he chuckled softly.

"Theirs spicy pork too…turkey an…teriyaki…chi..ken…" her breath hitched when she felt a velvety tongue slide across her ear, down her neck before being replaced by warm lips that trailed butterfly kisses up and down sensitive skin two centimeters from her throat and jaw.

"What are you doing!" She exclaimed quietly, struggling and failing to keep herself from responding to the feel him. She really hated it when he did this…and at the same time absolutely loved it.

"Stop, were standing in the middle of a store!" She whispered feverently, which seemed to have no affect on the man at all.

He brushed his lips on a particularly sensitive spot on her silky skin and smirked when she gasped.

He would have continued if it wasn't for the fact that they were indeed standing in the middle of a public place. He pulled away and smirked when she spun around in his arms. A beautiful pink blush crept up her neck as she looked up at him. Her milky white eyes narrowed.

She still blushed when she got embarrassed or surprised and it was entertaining not to mention fascinating to watch. Only one out of the hundreds of little things about her that had become an obsession to him. And if he got her flustered (which wasn't that hard to do) she not only turned an adorable shade of red but she studdered and stumbled over her words.

"What are you doing!"

He shrugged, smirk still present on his face.

"I was getting bored…"

* * *

A/N:

I am soo sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. The last two or so months have been very caotic with the move to Utah, settling into my dorm and keeping up with my trade and classes. Then to top it off I couldn't for the life of me...think of how to finish up this chapter. I wanted to add at least two or three more scenes and I knew what to write...just not HOW to write it.

So frustrating!! anyway, I finally gave up and decided to add the scenes to the next chapter.

I figured I kept you guys waiting long enough...lol...

Yes, Sakura will be in denile, but I assure you she'll get over it within the next...2 or 3 chapters. This story is going to be unlike any Naruto story you've ever read. I'm trying to keep the characters in character while at the same time mature the characters and put them in adult situations. I will be getting more and more detailed and graphic with the romance as the story progresses. My goal is to make you, my readers, _feel_ the romantic tension as it builds between the characters. To _feel_ the characters emotions as if you were inside the characters minds and looking through their eyes.

Once again I want to thank everybody who has been reading and everybody who has reviewed so far. It's such a great feeling to know you are out there and I love hearing from you guys!


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